The Uighurs Depicted in the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves

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The Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves site is located in Turfan(9), a key junction on the historic Silk Road’s Northern Route. During the late eighth century, the Uighurs, who were devout Buddhists at the time, occupied the area.

The Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves were the largest of the various Buddhist monuments that the Uighurs had a hand in constructing around Turfan. We find in the cave murals and in other artwork, such as Buddhist banners excavated in neighboring ruins, Uighur royalty and nobles depicted as religious donors. These artworks give us an idea of how the Uighurs looked at the time.

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The piece, "Male Donors(10)" (9-12th century), for example, is painted on a bright vermillion background, with colorfully dressed male donors lined up in two rows. Each donor holds a flower in both hands with Uighur inscription alongside each. One can see that the style of headdress differs between the group of eight donors on the upper row, the four donors on the right half of the lower row, and the four donors on the left half of the lower row.

"Female Donors(11)" (9-12th century) depict Uighur women wearing their hair in a distinctive hairstyle which sticks out horizontally at the sides. The women adorn their hair with accessories shaped in the form of auspicious clouds, and are wearing crowns in the shape of the sacred jewel. They stand with their hands clasped together in front of their midsections.

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In the artwork depicting Uighur donors, such as those shown here, donors are usually portrayed in multiple rows. However there are some that feature a particular donor, such as the piece,"A Donor(12) (9th century)." In the piece, we see a man, probably royalty or a noble, shown standing holding a flower in his hand.

Another example is "A Banner with a Portrait of a Donor(13)" (Outline of the Painting(14)) which was discovered at the nearby ancient city of Gaochang (高昌, also known as Chotscho or Kharakhoja). Exceeding 140cm in length, the large banner is unique among its kind in that it features a large figure of a donor in the main part of the banner. The nobleman, who has snow-white hair and a thick moustache and beard, is holding a flower in his hands. A small child is painted on both his left and right sides.